Chapter 45: Entering the Ancient Tower Once More

Everything here remained arranged like an intricate maze, only more eerie and inexplicable, filled with phenomena that even Li Ling couldn't explain through science. In the end, we made a quick decision: everyone would wait in place and not wander off, lest we lose ourselves in this place.

"Could this place be luring our souls away?" one of the old workers asked me. He said he’d been part of archaeological teams for years and knew many things; in his opinion, this place was teeming with restless spirits. I smiled and reassured him, telling him not to overthink and to just wait patiently for a while.

Li Ling and I prepared to follow Old Ghost and his group to see what they were up to, but to my surprise, Liang Qiu insisted on coming with us as well. "I can help," he said, "even if it's just carrying things."

This fellow, though not the bravest, was still the boldest among the men here. After a moment’s thought, I nodded and let him join. So, the three of us set off while the others stayed behind.

At that moment, Li Ling pulled out a foreign-made scoped rifle from her backpack and slung it over her shoulder with an air of confidence that instantly changed her demeanor. I didn’t ask where she’d gotten the gun—just nodded, and together we quickly caught up.

Old Ghost and his group moved fast, and soon we approached the ancient tower. Strangely, we saw no sign of those venomous insects. Had they all gone dormant?

I shot Li Ling a puzzled glance and quietly filled her in on what had happened earlier. She scanned the area warily, then whispered, "I suspect they have a way to deal with those insects."

She gestured for me to look at the ground. It was dim, but I saw faint traces of powder. I touched some—though it looked like flour, it gave off a strange, fragrant scent.

"This must be it," she said.

I was astonished. Just who were Old Ghost and his people, to possess methods for countering those insects? This was the ancient kingdom of Guli, a land shrouded in mystery and barely mentioned even in historical records. How could Old Ghost’s group know so much, even more than I—whose bloodline traces back to Guli? Perhaps their research exceeded even that of the elders among the tomb keepers. It defied explanation.

As these thoughts raced through my mind, Liang Qiu tugged cautiously at my sleeve and pointed in a direction. Following his gaze, I saw Old Ghost’s group climbing the ancient tower, using ropes and fastening themselves as they scaled toward the top. Their powerful flashlights and mounted lights illuminated the entire structure, and the blue insects from before were eerily quiet.

Li Ling asked what we should do. I suggested we wait until they’d all climbed up before following—but on second thought, perhaps only I should go, since the climb would be dangerous and the others might need help. With so many guns in their hands, the risks were too high; even if the tower itself posed no threat, Old Ghost’s men might well shoot us on sight.

Soon, Old Ghost’s group began entering the third floor one by one, but two men remained below, standing guard with their weapons at the ready, clearly acting as sentries.

Just then, I suddenly heard a haunting song drift past my ears—a melody I knew all too well. I’d heard it in the underground city before: a sound like wind mingled with song, desolate and mournful, leaving my spirits crushed by its weight.

Strangely, Li Ling and Liang Qiu claimed they heard nothing; the world was perfectly silent to them. Was I the only one hearing it?

Yet, the song felt so real it stifled my very soul. I gripped my black-gold dagger, determined to push past the oppressive feeling. I had to deal with those two guards outside.

Normally, I’d have no trouble taking down two men, even armed ones. The challenge was doing so without alerting those inside. But as I pondered, the singing grew louder, echoing right by my ear, as though extolling something ancient. I glanced at Li Ling, who looked tense and uncomfortable, though she insisted she heard nothing—only that she felt unwell.

This sense of oppression was almost unbearable, threatening to break me. Clutching my dagger, I slipped away without a word to Li Ling or Liang Qiu, circling around to the back of the tower and drawing closer to one of the guards. Some inexplicable urge drove me to get to the third floor, consequences be damned.

Then my chance came: one of the guards wandered to a corner, away from his companion. Without hesitation, I pounced. He was a burly man, clearly ex-military, and quick to react—he raised his gun, but I moved faster, ducking low and sweeping his legs from under him. As he fell, I struck his neck with a swift chop, rendering him unconscious before he could cry out.

A clean ambush avoided much trouble. I picked up his submachine gun, slung it over my shoulder, and moved towards the second guard. This time, I had to use my dagger—the man was too alert and skilled for anything less. After a brief struggle, I managed to stab him in the neck, then clamped a hand over his mouth, squeezing until he went limp. It was an assassin's hold—a technique I’d once learned. Each of these men had blood on their hands, perhaps more than one life. Their deaths didn’t trouble me.

After dispatching both guards, Li Ling and Liang Qiu caught up. I tossed a shotgun to Liang Qiu, though he was so terrified he just clung to it, clearly unable or unwilling to use it. I nodded to Li Ling, then grabbed the rope and began to climb, forgoing a harness. Only then did I realize how agile Li Ling was—she kept pace with me almost effortlessly. Liang Qiu stayed below, covering us.

"You really kill without hesitation," Li Ling remarked, her eyes complicated.

I glanced back and whispered, "Don’t worry, I’m no mad killer."

Without further words, we pressed on. As I reached the window of the third floor, I found the place eerily calm. Only up close did I see how vast and tall this strange old tower was.

But Old Ghost and his group were nowhere to be seen; not a single shadow moved within. I wasted no time and vaulted inside, and as I reached to help Li Ling, I found she was already in.

"Where did they go?"

"Would they report to me?" I replied offhandedly.

Li Ling shot me a glare but asked no further questions. Together, we crept forward, finding the space empty—no furnishings, nothing but a silence so profound it was terrifying.

Step by step, I advanced, when suddenly I felt someone whispering in my ear. I thought it was Li Ling, but I couldn't make out the words. I asked softly, "What did you say?"

No answer came. I spun around—no one was behind me. Where had Li Ling gone? Just then, the whispering returned, urging, "Go on, go on..."

Panic began to rise, but I forced myself to stay calm and search for Li Ling. Whatever that whisper was—who knew what it might be? A ghost... I quickly suppressed the thought.

"Li Ling... Li Ling... Dr. Li..."

Still, no answer. It was as if I had been alone in this place from the start. I retraced my steps to the window, but Li Ling was not there. The ground below was still brightly lit, yet Liang Qiu had vanished as well. Who knew where that boy had gone? But right now, I had to find Li Ling. In such a limited space, how could a living person simply disappear?

I searched everywhere but found no sign of her. If she had gone elsewhere, we should have been able to hear each other, given our proximity. As I wandered, I suddenly heard footsteps approaching. I quickly switched on my flashlight, only to be confronted by a pale face. I stumbled back several steps, heart pounding, but instead of screaming, I raised my submachine gun. At this range, whatever the thing was, a burst would tear it to shreds.